We weren’t talking about hot sellers! I simply stated it’s better to spend more on glass than on the rifle. I also said too spend as much as you can, never said it had to be $2000. I’ve also mentioned many times on many different threads about buying used off the EE. I’ve bought a Kahles 318i as well as a 525i off the EE and both were as new and saved me a lot over buying new. Many times the ee has scopes for 50-75% of the cost of a new one allowing a savy buyer getting much better glass for the same price as a lesser optic. I don’t have any $2000 dollar scopes so it’s not my norm and I also don’t have 1/2 dozen different rifles! In my pharmaceutical state as you’ve pointed out I somehow managed to own dozens of rifles and most my optics are double or triple the 2K. I have no mortgage. Just keep selling your silver and you can buy a great optic too! Cheers
What should my Optic cost
- Thread starter BCbattlebuddy
- Start date
Just because 1/2 the price is the norm doesn't mean it's good advice. Lots of good, reliable guns are out there for pretty cheap - lots of Euro sporters from guys like Intersurplus in the $300-500 range for example. Following your advice I should only spend $150-250 on a scope for one of those rifles....
IMO there is a minimum price point you should aim for - my personal limit used to be about $300, but that was when you could get a Leupold VX1 for $300+tax on sale. Today I'm not sure if $300 is even enough money to spend, especially if you're talking an after-tax/shipping price. From there the sky is the limit.
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FatCatsDad
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Most people's budget can't handle the wildly expensive advice that these threads usually devolve into.
That still doesn't make your advice good advice though. If I buy a $260 Mauser sporter from Intersurplus should I limit my scope options to things I can get for under $130? Of course not.
1/2 the value of the rifle only makes sense once you hit a certain price point on the rifle, at which point is it really the rifle price that is the key, or is it the optic price (or rather, what that price translates to in performance) that matters all along?...
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FatCatsDad
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
There is a point of reasonableness that needs to be applied in all situations and one can be intentionally obtuse, confrontational and antagonistic towards others, rule of thumb and general personal guidlines, if they so choose.
Turninwrenches
New member
- Location
- Riverview, New brunswick
Over the last year I’ve spent hours reading and handling scopes at my local bass pro harassing the staff with questions I finally settled on a vx5 3-15x44 and it was a pretty scary number at the cash register but a scope is a lifetime purchase and I’d say go with the best your budget allows and get out there and handle them all before making a choice there is major difference in the $350-700 glass compared to the 1500+ fellas
Hand Skills
CGN Regular
- Location
- In the 'heartland', southern SK
Look into the
Trijicon Credo 3-9x40
Trijicons are known for reliability and hold their value really well.
Most scopes seem to get me to 30 minutes after sunset, but surprisingly few will dial a perfect 'box test', and hold zero day in and day out.
My perspective is a little different. I'm not too concerned about the 'glass' when it comes to scopes. Most will do the job. Some are more reliable than others, especially when it comes to the mechanical adjustments.
If you wanna learn windage, get a scope with a good reticle with markings and first focal plane so that you can read how many Mils or MOA you are off on your shots.
If you are going to be figuring out all the DOPE and ballistics, then get a scope with adjustable turrets as you will be tuning precisely and often at different distances.
You will be fine hitting stuff with12-16 power, but if you want to see bullet holes at 200m- 300m, go with a 25-30 power scope.
You didn't say it was a hunting setup... if so, you may wanna stick with something at 12-16 max power, but still consider ffp with a good reticle that will alow you to read your misses and correct.
Oh... and I would ignore the rules of how much to spend on a scope or rifle, get the glass you need for the job at hand.
For example, a long range shooter may spend 2x the amount on a scope than a rifle as they need really good glass and many factory rifles these days are pretty accurate... while a rimfire PRS shooter may spend double on the rifle than the scope as there many great scopes for this around $1000 and the rifles can hit $2000 easy.
For example, a long range shooter may spend 2x the amount on a scope than a rifle as they need really good glass and many factory rifles these days are pretty accurate... while a rimfire PRS shooter may spend double on the rifle than the scope as there many great scopes for this around $1000 and the rifles can hit $2000 easy.
Bad comparison.
Only an ********** would spend any $ at your suggestion.
You and LS should unite.
^good advice, and sort of where I am with scope purchases. I have bought a few new scopes in recent years (Sightron mostly, one Burris) and really like them, but as for what to pick=really depends on the application and your expectations. When you want to start stretching things out, or shoot in lower light you can start to realize the limitations of cheaper optics. You'll know when you're pushing it.
For someone fairly new to scopes, I might lean heavier on the Bushnell Elites suggested, they're made in Japan and the ones I've had were clear and problem-free. In fact, I recently needed to pick-up a scope for a small centerfire rifle and chose a used 3200, 4-12AO.
@ my age/my eyes, I want to be able to see bullet holes on paper @ 100 yards-but worth noting, I can just see them with a really good 6X and can't with a poor 12X, so quality of optics matters...and gets exaggerated the further out you go.
There are popular brands out there now I've never even seen for sale so I'm the wrong guy to ask, but might suggest the OP try and get behind some scopes at the distance he wants to shoot and take some notes. Targets will look very small with a 3-9X @ 400 yards, but if you're after a vitals-shot on a deer=maybe? Whatever the intended target=get something of that size @ 400 yards and then see how little you can get away with maybe?
I am with Hand Skills and Longstud on this one. I never understood the mentality of spending thousands on a rifle and throw on a several hundred dollar optic.
I personally prefer (the more commonly European) approach of buying better optics to put on a budget rifle is better than the other way around.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Like many thing in life: How much is your time worth, and what is your tolerance to risk?
To have a hunt/range session session go haywire, because I cheaped-out on a piece of gear... No tks.
To have a hunt/range session session go haywire, because I cheaped-out on a piece of gear... No tks.
not necessarily.
in the last 5+yrs, there has been a huge advancement in optic quality, so that you can get very good glass with features for under 1k easily.
and to add on, there has been a huge advancement in rifle quality, so that you can get very accurate rifles for very affordable prices, eg savages.
Hardhammer
CGN Regular
For me the price of the rifle is irrelevant, rifle may come and go but a good scope will stay, buy once cry once is my way to go now, prefer to wait till i get the money than buying fast and cheap.Him official at my club and ad the chance of looking trough a good number of scope and personally settle for Delta Javelin, bought 2 and never look back.
I'm going through the same process. Nightforce and Zeiss, with Trijicon replacing the typical 3-9x40. It's expensive, but so worth it. Although my first Nightforce was an SHV 3-10 that was sub-$1k, those prices are long gone. I've replaced a few, and the only two that I will probably keep are both Razors (one LHT, one GII).
I’m just taking out of my @$$ … Scopes like the vortex viper are amazing for around the 500$ mark
